The Compton Tarbabes were averaging over 60 points a game on the season—they scored 90 in a game less than a month ago, and they haven’t been held under 50 since league play started.  Despite all those seemingly reliable facts, Poly went into the Eddie Thomas Gymnasium on the Compton campus, and completely shut the Tarbabes down, winning 53-36 to close out the first half of their league season with a spotless 6-0 record. Compton falls to 2-3 in league.

For the first half, the Tarbabes were having some success penetrating in the lane, as Compton’s starting guards combined for 14 of their first-half 22 points.  Allan Guei, the sophomore, especially seemed to notice the soft spot in the second quarter, as he scored three quick buckets to single-handedly keep the Tarbabes in the game.  Poly seemed to be testing the Compton defense, deciding which facet of their offense they wanted to focus on in the second half—they shot around the perimeter (Mike Mayes, Alexis Moore, and Ronald Nezey throwing in 15) and got some inside looks as well (Ryan Anderson dropped in five points).

At halftime, the visitors had a 26-22 advantage—but it was obvious from the outset of the second half that Poly was going to pull away, as they went on an 8-2 run to start the third, and won the quarter 17-6.  How did they do it?  They closed off the lane to Compton’s guards, exposing a one-dimensionality to the Tarbabes’ offense.  On the offensive side of the ball for Poly, they decided to make an effort to get the ball inside.  Both strategies paid off—Compton only mustered 18 points in the second half, and Poly’s big men, Anderson and Julian Camper, combined for 20 of Poly’s 27 points.  “We struggled inside in the first half,” Anderson said after the game.  “But we decided in the second half to take it over.”

The convincing win ends the first half of the Moore League season for Poly, and they’ll go into Round Two with a minimum of a two-game lead over everybody else.  Poly coach Sharrief Metoyer says they’re not looking too far ahead, though.  “Right now, we’re just focused on winning the Moore League.  But we’ve been thinking about CIF and State since the beginning of the season.  This year was all about re-establishing Poly’s basketball tradition, and legacy.  I think the players are really buying into it.”  At 17-2, with thirteen straight wins and successful halftime adjustments, it’s hard not to buy into the ‘Rabbits.